Filling head for pressurized fluid

ABSTRACT

A filling head for admitting a pressurized fluid into a container having a projecting inlet portion. A sleeve member communicates at its rear end with a source of pressurized fluid and at its front end is provided with a radially inwardly extending annular flange. An insert is fluid-tightly received in the front end portion and has a recess facing the opening of the flange. The recess may be placed into communication with the source of pressurized fluid. The insert has an annular front face abutting against the flange and the recess includes a wider forward portion adjacent the front face and a narrower rearward portion dimensioned to accommodate the inlet portion. The forward portion is bounded by an inner annular surface and a circumferential surface extending therefrom to the front face and the surfaces define with the flange a radially inwardly open groove. An annular sealing member of elastically deformable material is received in the groove and the inlet portion of the container to be filled will extend through the annular sealing member into the recess. A plurality of kerfs are provided at least in the annular surface and communicating with the recess so that, when pressurized fluid is admitted into the latter, some of this pressurized fluid will enter into the kerfs and elastically compress the sealing member into sealing engagement with the inlet portion of the container to be filled.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Valbert/Westphalia, Germany [21 Appl. No. 743,270

[22] Filed July 3, I968 [45] Patented Jan. 19, 1971 [7 3 1 Assignee Carl Gisbert Siebel Duesseldorf, Germany. by mesne assignments [32] Priority July 5, I967 [33] Germany [54] FILLING HEAD FOR PRESSURIZED FLUID II Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

521u.s.c1 141/20,

141/391 51 1111.01 ..B65b31/00 so FieIdoiSearch 141/3,20,

46, 287, 312, 383; 277/72, 214, 215, (inquired); 53/(lnquired); 141/392 3,214,182 10 1965 Herbruggen ABSTRACT: A filling head for admitting a pressurized fluid into a container having a projecting inlet portion. A sleeve member communicates at its rear end with a source of pressurized fluid and at its front end is provided with a radially inwardly extending annular flange. An insert is fluid-tightly received in the front end portion and has a recess facing the opening of the flange. The recess may be placed into communication with the source of pressurized fluid. The insert has an annular front face abutting against the flange and the recess includes a wider forward portion adjacent the front face and a narrower rearward portion dimensioned to accommodate the inlet portion. The forward portion is bounded by an inner annular surface and a circumferential surface extending therefrom to the front face and the surfaces define with the flange a radially inwardly open groove. An annular sealing member of elastically deformable material is received in the groove and the inlet portion of the container to be filled will extend through the annular sealing member into the recess. A plurality of kerfs are provided at least in theannular surface and communicating with the recess so that, when pressurized fluid is admitted into the latter, some of this pressurized fluid will enter into the kerfs and elastically compress the sealing member into sealing engagement with the inlet portion of the container to be filled.

Pmmimmsm 3.555173 INVENTOR My; one

The present invention relates to'a fillinghead, and more particularlyto a filling headfor admitting a pressurized fluid into a container havingaprojecting inlet portion. Still more specifically the present invention relates to a filling head for admitting a compressed or pellantgasf intoa pressurized discharge container, such as an aerosol container.

Pressurized discharge, containers, generally known as 1 aerosol containers, contain aproduct ito bedispensed and a compressed, particularly.liquefiedpropellent gas; They are provided witha valve, a spraynozzle communicating with the, valve and suitablevactuating means foropening the valveso that'the propellent gas, acting as a carrier, will escape from the spray nozzle and take with it thecontentsto be'dispensed. Of

course, the propellent gas must be introducedinto the container or dispenser and for this purposeit is known to provide filling heads 'havinga recess so that they c an be placed over the valve and spray nozzle of the container. to be filled with the valve and spray nozzle being at least'parftially accommodated in this recess. The front end of such'filling .heads is provided with an annular groove in which is disposed an annularsealing gasket which engages the housing of the container or dispenser valve at the exterior of this housing so as to provide aseal against the escape of compressed gas from the recess as such gas is'admittedinto the recessfor'thepurposeof entering from there through thevalveinto the con'tainerto be filled.

ln known constructions of this typethe inner diameter of the annular sealinggasket is providedsomewhat smaller than the valve housing whichthe' sealing gasket is to contact in sealing relationship. However, it has -been found that the high mechanical stresswhichdevelops in -the sealing gasket as the same is forced over thevvalve housinggwhen the filling headis moved into fillingpositiomand particularly the friction which occurs between the sealing gasket :andthe valve housing, result in rapid deterioration of suchggaskets. Thus,theabrasion resulting from the friction between the gasket and the valve housingytaken ;in conjunction'fwithfthe deleterious influenceofthe intenselycold.propellent gas upon the material of the-gasket, leadsto rapid deterioration of the'gasketmaterial The internal diameter of thegasket quickly increases to' the outer diameter of the valve housing with which the gasket is to constitute a seal. When this takes .placegthe sealing action which must necessarily be veryefficient at the fillingpressures of substantially -'-80 atmospheresat whichthe' propellent gas-is admittedthroughjhe filling head into the container, is no longer sufficient. Thisproblem is aggravated bythe fact thatthe'valve'housing itself, which isusually secured to the container by. a crimping process, is frequently out-of round as l a result of such crimping.

Under these circumstances the'lifegofthese annular gaskets utilized in such filling I heads -is considerably less than one working-day, a disadvantage, which has seriouslyhampered the introduction of such filling heads'for the purposes at hand. At

tempts to overcome-theproblem by having the inner diameter of the annular gasket be larger than the outer diameter of the valve housing withwhich they are to constitute a seaL-and gagernent with-the-valve housing priortoadmissionof the compressed gas throughthe filling heridjhave not been found the gas admission, is'very complicated and expensive as well as beingsubject to breakdowns due toitscornplexity.

satisfactory because the mechanism n e ssary -for effecting such compression, and for coordinatingfthe.compression with:

It is thus ageneral. objectof the present invention'to overvide afilling head of the type in question wherein an annular sealing-gasket willprovide a reliable'sea l against'the inlet por' tion of acontainer to he filled, usuallyf the housing of an inletand-outlet valve of such a containerpbut without the extremely' short lifespan known for such'gasketsfrom thepriorart.

sion of the sealing gasket into sealing engagemenfwith',

presentinvention is increasedsignificantly"'to a minim '60 mechanicallycompressing the sealingxgasket into sealingentransversely extending-inner annular surfacdinto the cIrcurn- "the front fac'e'of the insert. Thefpai'ticular cro ss section of the 2 SUMMARY oF THE lNVENTlON provision of a filling head for admitting apres'surized fluid into acontainer havinga projecting inlet portion. This'filling head comprises a sleeve member having a rear end portion communicating with a source of pressurized fluid; and a front end portion including a radiallyinwurdly extending flange w'hic'his adapted to abut against the container to be filled and which has an opcningthrough which the inlet portion of the container can extend. An insert isfluid-tightly received in the front endportion of the sleeve memberand has a recess which faces the opening of the flange and which is arranged to be placed in communication with the'source of pressurized fluid. The'insert has an annular front face abutting against theinne'r side of the flange and the recess extends rearwardly from the front face and includes a wider forward portion and a nar the front face. The surfaces define with theflan'ge'a'groove having a radially inwardly facing open side. Anannu'larsealing" member of elasti'cally'deformable material-is received :in this groove confined between the surfaces and the flange'andhasa centralaperture registering with the opening of the flange and i being dimensioned to accommodate the inlet portionbf the container to be filledsA plurality of kerfs are providedat least" in the inn'er annular surface and communicate withtherecess so that, -whenth inlet portion'of the container tobeffllledis' received in this recess throughthe opening of the flangefand the aperture of the sealing member, and] when thereupon pres surized fluid is admitted intothe recess from the sourcegsome of thisfluid will enterinto these kerfs and will effect elastic? compression-of the sealing member into sealing engagement with the inlet portionof the containerto'thereby prevent escape of fluidfromtherrecess'.

With the construction according to my present invention the "wearofthe' annular sealing member due to abras on; reduced'to an absolute minimum because the re is either no relative motion between thefilling head and'the valvehotising during admission of thepressurized fluid, 'oratmost only very insignificant relative motion which mightoccur'at verfy high filling pressures. F urthermore, the fact "that" no" mechanismsare provided which effect mechanical ,compr esQ' valve housing, results inla considerable redu etionin the filling time per container because admission ofpressurizedflui n begin as soon'as'thefilling'head is in placeJ-TheFcoristructIon j according tothe presentinvention guarantees a perfectseal all-time's even if the'housing of the valve is on v significant extent so that there is a locally subs clearance between portions of this housing and the annular gasket. I I

As a result of all of this, the lifetime oii such'ananhular 's'ealf ing gasket employed in the "construction ,aceo'rding t my ill: one week;as compared to theprevious inaitimu'moflessthan' one day.

Advantageously, the aforementioned.kerfs willektend ally of the recess, and thjeefficiency'of operation' ofmy devw maybe further improved by having'the kerfs' ext kerfs 'may be of various differentconfigurations,but in ac 'f cordance withthe inventionit isadvantageousifthiscross sec tion issemicircula'r. y

The crosssection of the groove in which the gasket is received may advantageously be polygonal, specifically either square or rectangular, because this providesfor aproper seating of the-sealing gasket.--Furtherrnore,ai groove of such cross \section can be'most-easily manufactured.

The sealing gasket itself is advantageously of circular cross section and in uncompressed condition has an inner diameter which is larger than the outer diameter of the valve housing with which it is to provide a seal. I have obtained exceptionally good results by using cross-linked polyurethane as the material from which the annular sealing gasket is made because this material is largely resistant to the effects of low temperature and to contacts with media which cause other materials to swell or shrink.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal section ofa filling head embodying my invention, shown here in filling position on the inlet end of a container;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary section on an enlarged scale of the gasket utilized in the embodiment of FIG. 1, and of the groove in which this gasket is received;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on the line III-Ill of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary partly sectioned detail view, on a considerably enlarged scale, illustrating the cross-sectional configuration and position of the gasket in its groove prior to initiation of the filling procedure; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but illustrating the gasket upon initiation of the filling procedure.

- DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Discussing now the drawing in detail, and firstly FIG. 1 thereof, it will be seen that the illustrated filling head is generally identified with reference numeral F. It is shown in position on a container 2 provided with a discharge and filling valve 4 which is located in a valve housing 3 secured to the upper end wall 18 of the container 2. A stem 5 which is connected with the valve 4 in known manner projects upwardly from the valve housing 3 and carries the actuating member 6 which is also provided with a spray discharge nozzle in known manner.

. The filling head F comprises a sleeve member 1 which at its forward end is provided with a radially inwardly extending annular flange l5 defining an opening 16. The rearward end of the sleeve member 1 communicates with a source of pressure pressurized fluid, for example compressed liquefied propellent gas such as illustrated at 9, and is provided with a valve member 7, which, together with an elastic seal 8, normally prevents passage of the propellent gas 9 into the front portion of the filling head. Evidently, to permit such passage in order to effect filling of the container 2, it will be necessary to move the valve member 7 from its position illustrated in FIG. 1. This is accomplished in well-known manner, as is the control of the quantity of gas to be admitted.

An annular gasket 12 is received in a circumferential external groove 13 provided in an insert and provides a seal between the insert 10 and the wall portion 14 of the sleeve 1.

The insert 10 has an annular front face 10a abutting the inner side of the flange 15 of the sleeve 1, and a recess or passage 17 extending rearwardly of this annular front face 10a. As the drawings show, particularly FIG. 1, the recess consists of two sections, namely a front section closer to the front face 10a and a rear section rearwardly spaced from the front section. The rear section is dimensioned so as to accommodate the valve housing 3 and the actuating portion 6, and the front section of the recess 17 is wider than the rear section and bounded by a transversely extending inner annular surface 10b and a circumferential surface 10c extending from the inner annular surface 10b into the front .face 100. This is clearly shown in the drawing, particularly in FIG. 2. The opening 16 of the flange I5 is so dimensioned as to accommodate the valve housing 3 with slight clearance, and the recess 17 registers with the opening 16. The surfaces 10b "aiid 10c constitute, together with the inner side ofthe flange 15, a groove 20 having a radially inward open side and'accommodating an annular sealing member 21, for example an O-ring, consisting of elastically deformable material for which I have found cross-linked polyurethane to be particularly advantageous as outlined above. The inner diameter of the member 21 is at least equal to the outer diameter of the valve housing 3, but may be somewhat larger to accommodate the valve housing 3 with clearance, if desired. The groove 20 is advantageously of polygonal cross-sectional configuration, and more specifically of rectangular or quadratic cross section as illustrated. It will be noted from FIG. 1 that the axial length of the recess 17 intermediate the front face 10a of the member 10 and the end wall of the recess, from which a bore 19 extends inwardly into communication with the valve member 7, is slightly longerwhen taken in conjunction with the thickness of the annular flange l5than the distance between the forward front face of the actuating member 6 and the end wall 18 of the container 2.

In accordance with my invention, at least the annular surface 10b is provided with a plurality of kerfs 22 extending outwardly from the inner circumferential face bounding the recess 17 and communicating with the latter. Thesekerfs 22 are angularly distributed about the recess 17 and, in the illustrated embodiment, extend substantially radially thereof. They are in the illustrated embodiment of semicircular crosssectional configuration, but may be of other cross-sectional configuration if desired or found necessary for manufacturing reasons or because of fluid-flow considerations. In FIG. 2, I have shown that the kerfs 22 may comprise portions 23 provided provided in the circumferential surface 10c, but while this may be advantageous for obtaining even better compression of the member 21, it is not absolutely necessary because the invention is operative if the kerfs 22 are provided only in the surface 10b. The member 21 is in the illustrated embodiment of round cross-sectional configuration and fills the interior of the groove 20 to a major extent.

The distribution of the kerfs 22 is shown in FIG. 3 for the exemplary illustrated embodiment.

In the unoperated condition of the filling head F, that is while no fluid is being admitted into the recess 17, the inner diameter of the member 21, is at most equal to the outer diameter of the valve housing 3, as pointed out before, or it may be somewhat larger. In the present embodiment I have illustrated it as being somewhat larger so that, as shown in FIG. 4, there exists a slight clearance 24 between the valve housing 3 and the member 21. If, now, the filling'head is operated, that is if the valve member 7 is operated so as to permit entry of compressed fluid into the recess 7, some of this fluid will flow into the kerfs 22 and from there into the curved portions 23, if such are provided. In any case, however, the fluid in these kerfs will pass from them into those portions of the groove 20 which are not filled by the presence of the member 21. This is illustrated in FIG. 5 where it will be seen that under the pressure of the thus-introduced compressed fluid the member 21 will be resiliently compressed into engagement with the outer surface of the valve housing 3 providing a hermetic seal between the valve housing 3 and the filling head F. It will also be clear that, as soon as the pressure of fluid ceases, that is when the valve member 7 is restored to its closure position illustrated in FIG. 1, the member 21 will return to its unoperated position as shown in FIG. 1, owing to its resiliency.

It will be appreciated that a variety of modifications is possible in the embodiment which has been shown in the drawing by way of example only, and that all of such modifications can be accomplished without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention so that they are intended to be encompassed.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above. g g r i While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a filling head for admitting pressurized fluid into made without departing in" any way fr n n h m f the present invention.

a container, it is not intended be limited to the details shown, 5 since various modifications and structural changes may be Withoutfurther analysis, the foregoing willso fully reveal lo the gist of the present invention thatothers can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art .-fairly constitute essential characteristics of the "generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore. such adapta tions should and are intended to be-comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the append'edclaims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

l. A filling head for admitting a pressurized fluid into a container having a projecting inlet portion; said filling head having an end face adapted to abut against a face of the container about said projecting inlet portionrand a passage extending from said end face through said head for feeding of pressurized fluid intosaid inlet portion of said container, said passage having a portion with an inner surface of a diameter slightly greater than the maximum diameter of said inlet portion so that the latter may be received with clearance in said passage portion, andan annular grove extending from said inner surface of said passage portion into said head and being bounded by a pair of annular surfaces extending outwardly from said inner surface, one of which is further spaced from said end face than the other, and an outer circumferential surface extending between said pair of annular surfaces; an annular sealing member of elastically deformable material loosely received in said groove confined between said annular surof square cross-sectional configuration.

faces and said circumferential surface and having a eentral 6 aperture substantially coaxial with said passage and dimen sioned to accommodate said inlet portion without being compressed by the latter; a plurality ofkerfs provided in ,at least said one annular surface and communicating with said passage; and a single valve in said passage upstream of said portion for-opening and closing said passage so that, when said inlet portion is received in said passage portion. and'whcn pressurized fluid is admitted through said valve into the latter, the pressurized fluid will not only flow through said inlet portion into said container but also through said clearance between said inner surface and said inlet portion into said kerfs and effectelastic compression of said sealing member into sealing engagement with said inlet portion to thereby preventescape of fluid during the filling of said container.

2. A filling head as defined in claim 1, wherein said kerfs are angularly spaced with reference to one another.

3. A filling head as defined in claim 2;, wherein said kerfs extend radially of said recess.

4. A filling head as defined in claim], wherein said kerfs are of semicircular cross section.

5. A filling head as defined in clair nj 1. wherein said kerfs comprise first portions provided in said one annular surface and second portions respectively communicating with said first portions and provided in said circumferential surface.

6. A filling head as defined in claim 1, wherein said sealing member is an O-ring.

7.. A filing head a as defined in claim 1, wherein said groove is of polygonal cross-sectional configuration.

8. A filling head as defined in claim 7, wherein said of rectangular cross-sectional configuration.

9. A filling head as defined in claim 7, wherein said groove is groove is 10. A filling head as defined in claim 1', wherein said sealing member is an annulus of circular cross section, and wherein said aperture in the uncompressed condition of said sealing member accommodates said inlet portion with some clearance.

11. A filling head as defined in claim I, wherein said sealing member consists of cross-linked polyurethane. 

1. A filling head for admitting a pressurized fluid into a container having a projecting inlet portion, said filling head having an end face adapted to abut against a face of the container about said projecting inlet portion and a passage extending from said end face through said head for feeding of pressurized fluid into said inlet portion of said container, said passage having a portion with an inner surface of a diameter slightly greater than the maximum diameter of said inlet portion so that the latter may be received with clearance in said passage portion, and an annular grove extending from said inner surface of said passage portion into said head and being bounded by a pair of annular surfaces extending outwardly from said inner surface, one of which is further spaced from said end face than the other, and an outer circumferential surface extending between said pair of annular surfaces; an annular sealing member of elastically deformable material loosely received in said groove confined between said annular surfaces and said circumferential surface and having a central aperture substantially coaxial with said passage and dimensioned to accommodate said inlet portion without being compressed by the latter; a plurality of kerfs provided in at least said one annular surface and communicating with said passage; and a single valve in said passage upstream of said portion for opening and closing said passage so that, when said inlet portion is received in said passage portion and when pressurized fluid is admitted through said valve into the latter, the pressurized fluid will not only flow through said inlet portion into said container but also through said clearance between said inner surface and said inlet portion into said kerfs and effect elastic compression of said sealing member into sealing engagement with said inlet portion to thereby prevent escape of fluid during the filling of said container.
 2. A filling head as defined in claim 1, wherein said kerfs are angularly spaced with reference to one another.
 3. A filling head as defined in claim 2, wherein said kerfs extend radially of said recess.
 4. A filling head as defined in claim 1, wherein said kerfs are of semicircular cross section.
 5. A filling head as defined in claim 1, wherein said kerfs comprise first portions provided in said one annular surface and second portions respectively communicating with said first portions and provided in said circumferential surface.
 6. A filling head as defined in claim 1, wherein said sealing member is an O-ring.
 7. A filing head a as defined in claim 1, wherein said groove is of polygonal cross-sectional configuration.
 8. A filling head as defined in claim 7, wherein said groove is of rectangular cross-sectional configuration.
 9. A filling head as defined in claim 7, wherein said groove is of square cross-sectional configuration.
 10. A filling head as defined in claim 1, wherein said sealing member is an annulus of circular cross section, and wherein said aperture in the uncompressed condition of said sealing member accommodates said inlet portion with some clearance.
 11. A filling head as defined in claim 1, wherein said sealing member consists of cross-linked polyurethane. 